


Fire and Ice

by YennaWang



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Action, Adventure, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Dragons, Drama, F/F, Fantasy, Original Characters - Freeform, Violence, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-21
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:40:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,733
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23774716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YennaWang/pseuds/YennaWang
Summary: "My grandmother used to tell me of stories about the old days, a time of peace when the dragons flew freely and there was balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked."Enter this world full of fantastic beasts and mythical lands that follows the story of Korra and her trusted dragon companion, Naga. Come along for twists and turns, for drama and romance, for action and adventure, for friendship and love. This convergence of fantasy, ATLA and TLOK will keep you on your toes and keep you coming back for more.
Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato
Comments: 16
Kudos: 69





	1. First Flight

**Author's Note:**

> So it's been a long time, but here's something new that I've been working on. Hope you all enjoy it and want more!

My grandmother used to tell me of stories about the old days, a time of peace when the dragons flew freely and there was balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. The ruthless Fire Nationalists invaded land after land, ransacking, destroying, and killing. Overtaking the world, even taking the lives of all the Air Nomads.

Nothing could stop their powerful dragons. Their sleek, shining coats always brought fear to the people below. The heat of the sun was no comparison to their blazing fire breath. The rush of the wind was nothing compared to the speed in which they flew. Their dragons were supreme and they took advantage of this. Led by Fire Lord Sozin, their Nation’s power grew day by day. For a hundred years the war has raged and the Fire Nation is finally nearing their victory. 

Two years ago, my father and the warriors of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Empire to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my mother to look after the tribe. Some people believe this war has already been lost. But I haven’t lost hope. I still believe that somehow, the Great Dragons will shine above us and we will prevail.

* * *

Although the sound was faint, it was still so painstakingly clear. It was the sound of ice being crushed and there weren’t many things that were able to break through the ice sheets of the Southern Water Tribe. But everyone knew what it was. 

The people of the village had gathered in the main hut, Korra and her mother’s hut. Korra was only ten, but her mother allowed her to stay. Senna believed that for Korra’s survival, she would need to learn quickly and not be sheltered. Both of them knew what sacrifices needed to be made, they both had learned the hard way, when Korra’s father had stopped sending letters just over a year ago. 

“Th-they’re coming,” one of the elderly women said, her voice shaking with fear.

“What do we do?” another asked.

“We run. We can’t fight them,” a slender man pointed out.

“We can’t run. Our homes are here,” a young woman holding her baby pleaded.

“What about the children?”

The panic continued until her mother’s voice filled the hut. Silence fell upon them.

“Everyone, we need to be smart about this. Be calm and gather your families. Take just the essentials and anything that you think you must take. We need to leave and we need to do it quickly,” Senna’s voice was surprisingly calm, but also strong. 

“We can’t do that!” came Korra’s voice from beside Senna. “This is our home. We need to fight for it.”

“Dear, it’s not safe. We need to get everyone out of here.”

“No.” Korra began to make her way towards the entrance. “That’s cowardly. Dad wouldn’t have run.”

Before Senna could react Korra was already sprinting out the door, a spear in hand. Somehow in her young brain, even if it meant death, she thought it was better to fight than run. Survival was not at the forefront of her mind, but sacrifice. Sacrifice for her people. Sacrifice for her family. Sacrifice. The thing her father had done for her and the tribe.

Korra ignored her mother’s cries. She ignored the people of her tribe and kept going. She didn’t care how far or how near the Fire Nation ship was because she was going to reach it. She was going to do what she could to protect the ones she cared about.

* * *

It was almost dark by the time she saw the bow of the ship. The large spike jutted out from the front, pointing skyward. Billows of smoke swirled into the sky from the main chimney. As she got closer, she could hear the rumbling of the engine and before she knew it, the ship was quickly closing in on her. 

“STOP RIGHT THERE!” she shouted as she slammed the butt of her spear onto the icy floor. “THIS IS MY HOME AND YOU NEED TO LEAVE!” Korra continued to shout, her voice falling on deaf ears. 

Little did she know, the captain of the ship cared not for her. He had already commanded that the ship continue on, even at the expense of the young girl’s life.

Korra felt her heart rate pick up, her breathing quickened. Although she felt frightened, she continued to hold her ground, praying to the Great Dragons that she was strong enough to stop the Fire Nationalists. 

She was wrong though. 

The ship was clearly not stopping and she knew it was too late for her. She clenched her eyes shut as the ice sheet began to crack and break. The noise roared in her ears and she gripped her spear to her chest, her fingertips turning white. The only thought that flashed through her mind was that she’d finally be joining her father. She wondered if he would be proud of her. Proud of her bravery. Of her sacrifice.

She would never find out though.

Korra’s body suddenly jolted to the side, the spear long gone as her body surged upward. Her eyes popped open and she swallowed the lump in her throat as she stared down at the ice below her. Her feet dangled in the air. Her body tightly held against something strong and furry. 

She finally braved to look up. Above her was a furry white neck. The fur was tightly pressed against the neck due to how fast they were moving. As her eyes traced further upward, she saw the underside of a long snout of a dragon. Even with the rush of the wind, she could hear the sound of the dragon’s wings thumping, keeping them afloat. 

Korra hadn’t been this close to a dragon in some time. The last one she had seen was her father’s. Although Kaskae had been a large dragon, he had been as gentle as a cub to her. His piercing eyes had always been kind. But behind this kindness was the strength of a thousand suns. He, with her father, had kept the Southern Water Tribe safe, even as the war raged on. They had been such a fierce duo and led such a strong team of riders, that they had been called upon. They were only supposed to be gone for a couple of weeks, helping the Earth Kingdom. But plans had clearly changed.

Korra was silent as the dragon flew her away from harm's way. With a soft thud, the dragon’s back legs landed in the snow and their front legs released Korra. Korra’s feet crunched as she took a few steps away and then faced the dragon. 

Before her was a fairly small dragon, but what struck Korra was that the dragon was completely white. Their fur blew softly in the wind and their dark brown eyes focused on her. 

“T-thank you,” Korra stuttered.

The dragon’s head bowed and Korra had expected them to leave her, but they did not.

For some reason Korra felt safe, so she took a step forward. And then another. And another. She raised her hand up slowly, stopping when the dragon began to lower their head. They met in the middle, Korra’s tiny hand stroking the top of the dragon’s snout.

“You’re not leaving me?” Korra asked. 

In response the dragon pressed further into her hand.

“Can you help me some more?” Korra looked straight into the dragon’s eyes. “My tribe isn’t safe and I need to stop that ship from reaching them. Do you think you’re strong enough to do that?”

Korra knew that this was a lot to ask, especially of a dragon that she wasn’t even bonded to. She had been waiting patiently, following tribe traditions for the bonding ceremony. The ceremony always happened when a person turned fourteen. They would take a canoe out in search of a dragon. People would search the sea, the mountains, the flat sheets of ice. Anywhere and everywhere. Some would return with a dragon, but most would return without a bond. To come in contact with a dragon at only ten years of age, that was unheard of.

Korra waited for a moment, but then the dragon shifted. They turned so their side faced Korra and then lowered their wing, allowing the young girl to crawl up onto their back. Korra gripped onto the thick fur as the dragon’s wings lifted and forcefully dropped. Gradually they took to the air, heading back towards the Fire Nation ship.

Korra’s long hair fluttered in the wind, her cheeks red from the crisp tundra air. She pressed her body closer to the dragon’s, making sure to make their flight as smooth as possible. 

She was not prepared for what would come when they reached the ship. Before she could even steel herself, the dragon plummeted downward. Korra held in her scream, her fingers clenched like she had done before to the spear. She could barely keep her eyes open, but she was glad she did. 

A crackling burst of ice streamed from the dragon’s mouth, covering the entire deck of the ship. Below them people scattered. The unlucky Fire nationalists were frozen in place, their bodies engulfed and surrounded by a thick layer of ice. The dragon made a sharp turn in the sky, again shooting ice from its mouth and covering more of the deck. The dragon was able to make three passes before the ship came to a creaking halt. 

Korra heard the dragon huff and her speed slow. Korra relaxed slightly.

“That was amazing!” Korra shouted over the sound of the wind. “You’re amazing.” She patted the dragon as they circled above the ship. “We should get back home and tell them that they’re safe.”

Although Korra said this, the dragon continued to circle the ship below them. Korra could feel the tightness in the dragon’s body. Something was happening, something that Korra’s senses couldn’t pick up. It soon became apparent though.

A loud booming sound and crackling came from the ship below. Korra’s eyes widened as she watched the metal below the ice start to glow a vibrant red beneath. The ice began to glisten as it melted and then it happened. A hatch broke and a large covering flew open with a thunderous crack. 

From the dark depths of the ship a scarred wing crept out. And then another. The two wings tried to find purchase on the slippery deck, the end talons scraping into the thick ice. Next emerged a large red head, eyes filled with anger locked onto the dragon that Korra was riding. The fire dragon below roared and with one final pull of their wings dragged itself onto the surface of the deck. The dragon reared back on its hind legs, head thrown into the air as their wings spread. Flames burst upward, filling the darkening sky with a burst of color. 

Korra took in the full size of the dragon. It was easily twice the size of the one she rode and was clearly battle worn. The scars of the dragon stood out, the lighter beige color popped against the dragon’s dark red scales. Their chest was full of scars, fully on display as they reared back on their hind legs.

The dragon didn’t return to its more prone position. Instead its large wings began flapping and it took to the skies. Korra was barely able to make out the rider on its back, his body dwarfed compared to the beast that he rode. Korra wasn’t able to get another look before the dragon she was riding took off. 

The white dragon took off at a breakneck speed. When Korra looked back, the fire dragon was already hot on their tail. Korra pressed her body into the dragon’s and held fast, her heart raced as she looked forward, not wanting to look back, already knowing what was behind them. 

With the Fire Nation ship left far behind them, the flatness and nothingness of the ice sheets began to vanish. Instead curved, jagged pillars of ice stood tall. Moonlight reflected off of them, creating almost an eerie feeling to their surroundings. The land became irregular as glaciers began to fill the ground below them. As they flew deeper into the tundra it became clear of how unforgiving this land could be. Wind billowed and the lighter snow above the ice blew with it. Luckily for them, they were higher up so their view wasn’t being obscured.

Korra wasn’t sure where this dragon was taking her, but she had a feeling that they knew what they were doing. They had kept a good distance between the larger fire dragon, but hadn’t veered much, as if trying to stay within sight of it. 

This seemingly calm ride soon changed within a split second though. With a frustrated, long roar, the dragon behind them let out a burst of flames and a burst of speed as well. Korra looked back to see the red dragon pushing harder and trying to close the distance. And to her dismay, the distance was closing. 

It didn’t take long for the dragon to catch up and start shooting streams of fire at them. With each one the white dragon she rode dipped their wings in various directions to strafe in the air. They wound back and forth and randomly the dragon would dive or force themselves up higher, trying to be as evasive as possible. This worked to an extent, but Korra knew it wouldn’t last. And so did the dragon she rode.

Suddenly the dragon pulled up. Korra dug into their fur, holding on for dear life. Time seemed to slow as the white dragon looped over the fire dragon. Korra saw the flames streaming out of the fire dragon’s mouth. Saw the armoured rider on its back. She took in how enormous this dragon below her truly was, finally seeing it from head to toe. But then it was over with a twist of the furred dragon’s body and she was back upright. She looked back to see the fire dragon spread its wings to slow itself and then push with its right wing forcefully, changing its direction. 

Korra hadn’t expected the large dragon to be able to maneuver so well, but it did. Clearly it was trained for battle. Trained to kill.

“I don’t think we can lose it,” Korra yelled over the wind. “You can’t fight it either. We need to figure something out!”

She watched as the dragon’s head turned and focused on a large opening in a glacier. Before she knew it, the dragon had folded in their wings and they were plummeting downward. Korra’s eyes squinted from the rush of air that hit her face and she held her breath as they dove into the ever darkening cavern. She just hoped that the dragon knew what they were doing.

She heard crumbling noises coming from behind them. Clearly the fire dragon was following, its larger body and wing span taking down the icicles that covered the ceiling of the cavern. 

Korra had to trust the dragon beneath her. As they got deeper into the cavern, it eventually became pitch black. All she could do was hold on and listen to try to get a sense of her surroundings. She could feel that it was winding and curving as the white dragon sped through it. 

Luckily for them, the fire dragon didn’t breath fire in the close quarters. It couldn’t risk collapsing the cavern on them and thus itself. So instead the red dragon began trying to close the space between them. Korra couldn’t see what was happening, but she heard it. A loud snapping noise came from behind them. Clearly the fire dragon was extending its neck, trying to get anything it could reach of the white dragon. 

“FASTER!” Korra shouted, trying to encourage the dragon beneath her.

Surprisingly this did seem to spur the white dragon to push themselves. They somehow surged forward and that’s when Korra realized what the white dragon was doing. Ahead of her was an opening, the moonlight from outside filtered in and broke through the darkness. But even from this distance, she could tell that the larger dragon had no hope of fitting through it. 

Korra pressed herself once more to the furred dragon’s back and the dragon tucked in their wings, speeding through the smaller opening, out into the open air. 

Korra heard the fire dragon’s wings forcefully push back, snow and ice rushing out of the opening they had just gone through. The dragon clearly had backed off, realizing what Korra had earlier. The fire dragon’s roar boomed from the opening and flames burst through it. The ice clearly started to warm and melt. In reaction, ice burst from the white dragon’s mouth, trying to combat the melting.

Korra anxiously scanned the terrain around them. They were fairly high up, but there were also the curved pillars of ice that towered even higher above them. Cracking noises came from them as the wind blew and chunks of ice fell. She then thought of an idea. They could use these to their advantage. 

“You need to break some of the pillars!” Korra rushed. “We can try to break the tunnel if there’s enough weight on it.”

The white dragon stopped and snorted. Their wings flapped harder and they ascended. It didn’t take long for them to reach the closest pillar. That’s when the dragon flew forward, landing all four legs onto the ice and pushed off. A loud crack came from the pillar, but it didn’t budge. 

“Again!”

The dragon did just that. And with that push, they watched as the top part of the pillar began to crumble and crack, and then it dropped. It landed atop the glacier with a deafening crash. 

Korra watched as the top of the glacier crumbled under its impact and then the cavern gave.

There was a pained roar just after the fire from the dragon ceased. The cry was so loud that it even dwarfed the noises coming from the collapsed cavern.

Then it was quiet. All she could hear was the white dragon’s wings flapping and the wind blowing around them. They hovered in the air for what felt like an eternity. When they were sure there was no movement or noise, the white dragon let out a roar. The first real noise Korra had heard from them. Although the dragon was smaller, the cry was powerful. It sent chills down Korra’s spine and that’s when she knew that this was just the beginning of their story.


	2. Bonds

**Five Years Later…**

“Let’s go!” Korra shouted over the rush of the wind. “We can do it, Naga!”

Korra held steadfast to the saddle that was now fitted onto the white dragon. It had been five hard, but satisfying years. She’d been training every day with the dragon, their bond becoming deeper and deeper. 

“Go now,” Korra directed. 

As soon as those words fell from Korra’s lips, the dragon’s wings stopped flapping and her nose pointed downward. They hurdled towards the distant earth beneath them at a breakneck pace. Korra had to squint due to the air rushing against her face and she tucked in tightly against Naga’s body. She watched as the surface of the ocean got closer and closer to them. But just before they made impact, Naga opened her wings, causing them to even out abruptly. The dragon soared just over the surface, causing the water to be displaced and a large wake splashed from behind them, leaving a trail of white sea foam on the surface. Korra laughed jovily as a light layer of water covered her face and her body. The hot summer sun shined down, warming her and Naga as they flew back towards land. 

Compared to where Naga had been when they’d met, she had grown considerably. She was still smaller than her Father’s dragon and would probably never get that large, but she was a good size for Korra. Her speed was what made her stand out. As they trained, Naga got faster and faster. Korra believed that she was the fastest dragon in the land, maybe even the world. Even her mother had said that she’d never seen a dragon so fast. 

Korra remembered when her mother had first seen Naga. How she practically ignored the dragon to reprimand her for running and not following her orders to stay home. But then she was grateful. Grateful that her daughter was alive. Grateful that her people were safe. 

Senna also explained that the dragon Korra rode was a female. Young Korra wasn’t sure how Senna had known just by glancing at the dragon, but she did. 

As the days had progressed, Korra and Senna discussed what to do. Each day the white dragon had stayed and greeted Korra in the morning and slept outside of their hut. Clearly the dragon was there to stay. So after a week, Korra finally named her and their training began. Senna helped guide them at first, but as the years progressed Korra and Naga began making their own regimen. Focusing on improving Naga’s speed, strength, and agility. Her ice breath had also become stronger and Korra could imagine how their first fight would have been very different had Naga been where she was now.

“Alright, Naga. I think that’s enough for today.” Korra ran her hand down the length of her dragon’s neck. “Let’s head home.”

Korra took in a deep breath and released it slowly as Naga and her soared through the sky. Flying now was so different from the first time she’d done it. Naga was now fitted with a saddle, so Korra could sit with comfort and without fear of falling off. This wasn’t the only thing that made her feel safe, but just from the bond that Korra and Naga formed, she felt that she could close her eyes and trust Naga to keep her safe. She also gazed upon the Southern Water Tribe land with a whole new outlook. It was different seeing it from hundreds of feet up in the air. Although the land was unforgiving and dangerous, it was also breathtaking. The ice pillars and glaciers were Mother Nature’s sculptures. She was able to see the wild life better from above, saw the penguin otters sliding, saw the polar bear dogs hunting, saw the wolf elks howling in the night. In the skies, her world became peaceful. Something that she hadn’t been accustomed to when living on the ice below with the harsh winds and frigid snow falling. She couldn’t imagine her life without Naga, without her now best friend.

* * *

When Korra and Naga touched down near her hut, her mother was already waiting for them. She had a somber look on her face as she approached.

“Is something wrong?” Korra asked.

Her mother placed a hand on Korra’s arm and then pulled her into an embrace. 

“The time has come, dear.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“A scout said that multiple ships are coming our way. We’re not going to be able to defend ourselves this time,” her mother explained.

Korra pulled away from her mother, she swallowed against the lump in her throat. “What do we do then?”

“We need to move inland. Move as far into the land and hope that the Fire Nation won’t be able to follow.”

“You do understand that may be a death sentence for many of our people, right?”

“Of course. But staying here would be a death sentence for all of the people,” her mother countered.

Korra nodded. She wasn’t that naive child she was five years ago. She was lucky to have been saved by Naga, in all honesty she had no right to be alive in this moment. 

“What do you need me to do?”

“Pack Naga’s saddle with as much as you can. She can then help lift other items to fly supplies out to a new location. I need you and her to push through even if this gets hard. We need you both, Korra.”

“Of course. Whatever is needed.”

Senna pulled her daughter into her arms once again. “We’re going to make it through this. Just like we have been.”

* * *

**At the Same Time…**

While Korra and her tribe hurried to evade the Fire Nationalists, there was a teenager struggling through their Coming of Age Ritual in the dry, burning landscape of the sacred area in the Fire Nation.

Steam seeped out of the ground similar to when rain hits the hot cobblestone of a summer day. Trails of molten lava spilled out and flowed slowly over the mountain, standing out against the blackness of the igneous rock. 

Asami let out a huff of air as she pulled herself up a slick ledge. Finding good footholds and handholds was a struggle, but she pushed through. She made sure to keep her distance from the lava streams and crumbling rocks around her. Asami wasn’t confident in where she should be traveling, but instead let her heart lead her. She continued to climb up the mountain that was billowing a large cloud of smoke from its peak.

After what felt like an eternity, she finally pulled herself over a ledge that opened up to a small flat patch. She sat down, her breathing heavy as she rubbed her sore wrists. She took in how worn and dirty her gloves were. An item that she was glad her father had helped develop with a team of other brilliant minds of the Fire Nation. The gloves were insulated and prevented herself from getting burned or from her hands forming blisters from overworking. On top of these, she also wore protective gear over her boots and her clothing to help her with her journey. 

After a short rest, Asami looked up, more of the mountain still towering above her. She then looked down below her. She hadn’t even realized how high she was until she looked. She’d trekked through the grassy areas that surrounded the lowest parts of the mountain, made her way up the less steep areas of grey and red igneous rock, and then she climbed up the darker, crumbling cliffside. Although she was far, she still had much farther to go.

“Only way to go is up,” she muttered to herself. She let out another heavy sigh before looking for her first handhold to start her ascent again.

As she made it higher and higher her vision started becoming obscured due to the smoke swirling around her. She held on tight with one hand as she lowered her goggles over her eyes and lifted her fabric face mask over her mouth and nose. She knew that she needed to move quickly, inhaling all of these fumes for an extended period of time would not be good for her. So she pushed on.

It only took one last drive over one more precipice to arrive at the peak. Her breathing was labored, but she knew she had to steady it to reduce the amount of toxic fumes she’d be taking in. So after a few more deep breaths, she calmed herself and her breathing steadied. She glanced around, taking in as much as she could, which wasn’t much. She was surrounded by a cloud of grey smoke that smelled deeply of sulfur, another reminder that she could only stay a couple of minutes up here. Below, just over the edge, Asami could see the glowing from the lava, slightly obscured by the smoke that filtered up from the depths of the volcano. 

She had thought that this would be the place, the place she’d finally come in contact with her dragon and start her bond, but all she could hear was the rumbling of the volcano and nothing more. She continued to look around, but nothing. Nothing.

She began to panic internally. What would her father do if she returned without a dragon? What would the people around her think? Wouldn’t this just solidify that she wasn’t where she needed to be? That she couldn’t live up to expectations. 

Of course fate would be like this. She’d worked so hard, followed her gut and climbed the active volcano just to find no one. She’d return empty handed and that would be it. There was nothing more to it. 

She scanned her surroundings one last time before letting out a resigned sigh. She then began her very long and grueling descent. Her pace was slower this time around, not feeling the need to rush. Eventually she made it far enough to be able to lower her face mask and lift off her goggles, which allowed her to feel a little less constrained. Allowed her to breath more easily once again. But as she seemed to settle into the rhythmic flow of climbing down the precipice, she heard a crackling crash from below. The sound of shattering stone and sliding filled her ears and she looked towards the source of the sound. There, at the base of the mountain, was a large mass. The body crumpled in on itself. Their front limbs were under their belly, their back ones stretched behind, one wing twisted under themselves, and the other wing spread. Behind the body a trail of smashed stone was left, the dust now settling upon it. 

Asami just stayed where she was, clutching to the mountain, waiting for any movement from the large, black dragon below her. But nothing happened. 

Once again Asami picked up her pace. She rushed as quickly as she could down the cliffside and once she had a clear look of the dragon, she slowed. She took cautious steps, one after another, getting closer and closer to the behemoth. They were a very large dragon, an indication that the dragon was male. But even with his daunting size, something seemed fragile about him. He was large, but his limbs seemed tenuous and his body was covered in wounds. Clearly the dragon had been in a fight, or multiple, and had lost them all.

As the gap between them closed, it was clear that the dragon was still breathing. His back rose and fell, but his breathing seemed shallow and inconsistent. 

“Hey there,” Asami started, her voice soft. The dragon grunted as he shifted his heavy head so an eye could settle upon the girl approaching. “It’s okay. I’m here to help.”

The dragon huffed again, a little puff of smoke coming from his nose. He didn’t seem aggressive though, so Asami continued her approach. When she reached the black dragon, she placed a handle gently on his side. 

“Can you move? If you can, I can bring you somewhere safe. Somewhere you can get better.”

Another snort, but no movement from the dragon. Clearly the attack and fall had taken a toll on the beast.

“I see.” Asami pulled the satchel that she wore off her shoulders. She rummaged for a moment and then found some rice balls that she had packed for her journey. “This is all I have,” she said as she held them out towards the dragon’s mouth. Again he didn’t move. “I’ll just leave them here.” Asami placed the four rice balls onto the ground right in front of the dragon. It was barely anything for the dragon, but at least it was something. “I’m going to leave, but come back within a day’s time. I’ll bring food and some supplies to hopefully heal up some of those wounds and get you back on your feet.” She paused for a moment. “I promise,” she finished.

* * *

The first day she returned, the obsidian dragon had moved a little. He had managed to shift and was laid out on his side instead of his stomach. The rice balls were also gone. The dragon had huffed a greeting and then let Asami tend to his wounds. Again, Asami tried to feed the dragon, to make it easier for him. But the dragon refused the food once more, so Asami placed down the raw meat she had brought for him. 

Asami repeated this process for the next five days. 

Upon the sixth day that she returned, the large dragon had finally moved more than just shifting his body from stomach to side. Instead of laying on the ground, he sat there, his head held high. 

“Look at you,” Asami greeted with endearment as she approached. “You’re finally able to move about. You’re looking good.”

The dragon’s head shook slightly, as if shaking off the compliment. He then lowered himself to lay down, folding his front legs in front of himself. As Asami got closer, he moved his head forward and actually nudged Asami softly. 

Asami let out a soft laugh as she wrapped her arms around the sides of his snout. “Is this your way of thanking me?”

In response he snorted and nudged her a little more. 

“So I have something to ask you,” Asami started, backing up a little bit. “It’s okay if you don’t want to, but I was hoping you’d want to come home with me. You could maybe help me with my inventions, keep me company. And I can keep you safe.” Asami chuckled to herself, thinking of how silly it was that she was offering safety to this majestic beast. “I mean, at least you wouldn’t be able to be attacked by other dragons. I think it’d be good for both of us. I’m rambling now though.” Asami laughed again. “I can give you some time to think about this and come back tomorrow.”

The black dragon snorted as he proceeded to stand up. As he did, Asami felt absolutely dwarfed, but she knew she was safe. Instead she looked up in awe as he spread his wings and stretched his legs. Then something unbelievable to Asami happened, the dragon lowered one of his wings, offering himself to her. Asami just stared, was this dragon actually accepting her proposal, essentially starting their bond? It must’ve been a long moment that Asami stood there without moving because the dragon huffed, trying to get her attention.

“Right,” Asami blurted. 

She hastily slung her bag back over her shoulder and then crawled her way onto the dragon’s back. His scales were fairly smooth, but she could tell that they were strong. It would take something very powerful to break through them, which made it even more clear that the black dragon had been attacked by others of his kind. 

Asami settled for a moment, found a comfortable spot and then grabbed onto one of the stiff spines that ran along his back. Luckily for her, he seemed to have some control over them and was able to lower a couple of them for her to sit without issue. 

“Ready,” Asami declared.

The dragon’s wide wings spread and he pumped once, a pained huff left his nose, but he continued on.

“We should walk back if you’re in pain,” Asami recommended. 

The dragon ignored her though. It was slower, but he was able to lift off of the ground and ascend. Asami watched as the charred ground was left behind and grassland opened up. Gradually the grassland ended and trees littered the ground below. Asami knew the flight wouldn’t be long, especially compared to how long it took her to trek on foot through the area.

“You’re going to need a name,” Asami muttered lowly. Names popped up in her mind. Great inventors and minds of the Fire Nation flitted one after another in her head. But then one stood out, an electrical engineer, someone she had looked up to for many, many years. Unfortunately the genius had passed quite some time ago, and she never had the chance to meet him. But she did know of his work. She felt that this dragon that she rode was destined for greatness. That although his life had clearly been hard, he had fought through and would continue to fight. 

“Hey,” Asami’s voice was stronger, louder now. “How does the name Yagi sound to you?”

The dragon grunted, but it was different from the sounds he had made before, somehow agreeable in feeling. 

“Seems like that’s a yes,” Asami echoed. “Yagi it is.”

The rest of their flight was spent in comfortable silence. Asami had flown before in airships, but being free and untethered like this had no comparison. The way the wind rushed by her face and her hair flowed behind her. The way the world looked so small from above. How she was able to see everything except for what was obscured by the curve of the earth. The feeling and sights were breathtaking to say the least. 

It didn’t take them long to reach the edge of the sacred lands and start seeing scattered housing that then turned into a more populated area. The difference in class was ever prevalent up in the skies. At first she saw huts that were made from hay and clay, then more sturdy homes, to eventually the large minkas that surrounded her own home. 

There was a clear theme to the layout of all of these areas, it was designed to accommodate any sized dragon. The roads were wide and the distances between the homes were large. Clearly, dragons were a large part of everyones’ lives. 

Dragons weren’t rare in the Fire Nation, and Asami could see that. As Yagi and her flew above, dragons of varying types moved below them, some with riders and some without. She spotted a few Druk Dragons, but none as large as the one she rode. She spotted a few Vermilion Dragons, some in the skies and some bathing in the sunlight. She laughed to herself as she noticed one on their back, just taking a sun nap. She even saw a rare Kanlaon Dragon skittering across the dirt road, a small cart being dragged behind them. Some of the dragons here weren’t specifically Fire Nation dragons though. Some were from far off lands, either acquired through trade or the war. Many of the dragons that carried or dragged large loads of product were Earth Kingdom dragons. She even spotted some Water Tribe Dragons as she got nearer and nearer to her home. The rarer dragons were clearly a sign of wealth in the area. 

It wasn’t long before she spotted her home. It was different seeing it from the skies, but also the same. She could see the perfectly shaped garden in the front. Gray stones filled the paths of the front yard, perfectly shaped hedges and trees placed in specific places to bring contrasting colors that were pleasing to the eye. The dark wooded roof and frames with the light panels popped. Although other homes had similar looks, hers was just different. It was home, but also the home of the wealthiest Fire Nation Nobleman in the area. There were signs of her father’s wealth, from the zen front yard, to the engravings on each and every frame, to the hand painted artwork on some of the screen panels. 

The wealth that was shown on the outside couldn’t even be compared to the extravagance of the inside though. There were more rooms than were needed, each one decorated to impress, not always for comfort. That was the only thing that really bothered Asami at times, but other than that she loved it. She loved having the space, she loved the safety of her home. It was so distant from the war that raged on. 

“You can land over there,” Asami guided. To the left of her home was an open area. It was the only area that wasn’t green, wasn’t as perfect in a way. That was all due to her father’s dragon using the space for as long as Asami could remember. Due to her father’s wealth, there was plenty of space for Yagi to land even if her father’s dragon had been there. 

While Yagi slowed and began his descent, all Asami could think about was what her father’s reaction would be to the large dragon. He had always been hard to please, but maybe, maybe just this time she’d be able to. 


End file.
